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Gartner Grabs Mildura Win

Jan 7, 2012

South Australia’s Dave Gartner became the fourth different winner from as many events when he took out round four of the 2011/2012 Carline Mufflers National Super Sedan Series at Mildura’s Timmis Speedway tonight.

In yet another race in which two-wide racing was the norm rather than the exception, Gartner claimed his second ever NSSS feature race victory.

Sam Hughes was magnificent and magnanimous in finishing second, leading much of the 35-lap event before ultimately being usurped by Gartner on a late race restart. Having dropped to third at one stage behind Australian champ Steve Jordan, Hughes refused to surrender and edged ahead as they swept under the chequer.

In finishing third, Jordan has narrowed the gap considerably to series front-runner Darren Kane and now sits just 37 points adrift of the championship lead.After qualifying on the outside of row six, Jordan was on a charge from the outset, executing precision passes on his way to a third successive podium result.

Wayne Randall continued his consistent points accumulation with a fourth-place finish that now puts him in the same position in the series standings, while Shane Best enjoyed his most successful night of the tour thus far in finishing fifth ahead of Lachlan Onley, Brad Smith and Monroe Pole Winner Michael Nicola, with Bill Miller and Tania Smith rounding out the top ten.

On a night that took its toll on several competitors, a healthy Friday night Mildura crowd witnessed some great racing.Heat winners included Gartner, Randall, Nicola, Hughes, Onley, Bill Miller, Brad Smith, Dave Nichols and Trent Wilson.

Kane took out the B Main ahead of Des Korn, Jarrod Harper and Tania Smith, with a Lucas Roberts, David Mackenzie, Wayne Vickers and Graeme Elliott also transferring to the main event.

A series of seemingly minor incidents depleted the field in the opening stages of the feature with Mackenzie, Nichols, Wilson, Steve Latham, Craig Lappin and Zac Calderwood on the infield after just six laps. Kane, Korn and Harper exited in unison on lap 10 and were joined by the luckless Roberts a lap later, with Elliott completing the retirees on lap 20.Despite the depleted field, the second half of the race produced plenty of action as, firstly, Hughes attempted to wrestle his lead back and then Jordan surged forward to also challenge Gartner, who remained unflappable and withstood the pressure to secure victory and advance to third overall in the championship standings.